Nice conferences are outlined largely by what does occur: what themes are mentioned, what traits generate probably the most passionate conversations. However nice conferences are additionally outlined by what doesn’t occur: by these subjects and traits which have turn out to be exhausted, didn’t dwell as much as the hype within the first place, or just aren’t prepared for prime time.
Having simply checked out a few of the most important subjects of debate at FinovateEurope, in the present day we’re taking a fast tour via the pound to study extra concerning the canine that didn’t bark at FinovateEurope 2026 final week.
Sustaining Sustainability within the Age of AI
Sustainability has been a stronger theme amongst fintech innovators within the UK and the EU in comparison with the US—and arguably all of the extra so given the fusillade of disincentives from the Trump Administration. Previous Finovate conferences have showcased fintechs equivalent to Join Earth (UK), ecolytiq (Germany), and Little Blocks (India) which might be serving to establishments and people calculate their environmental affect; scale back carbon emissions by way of on-line marketplaces, and align their investing and banking preferences with their attitudes towards the setting.
Whereas by no means a big fraction of the demoing firms at any given present, it was notable that no firms centered on sustainability on the demo stage. This seemingly displays a minimum of partly the shift in emphasis towards AI and blockchain-related improvements, particularly as these improvements are more and more shifting from the experimental to real-world use instances. Whilst these enabling applied sciences seem like of their earliest levels, the truth that they already are responding to actual issues in monetary companies makes them an particularly engaging subject for innovation in comparison with sustainability.
It is very important notice that this doesn’t essentially imply that there was a decline in curiosity in sustainability and climate-related fintech innovation. In truth, funding in climate-related fintech—and climatetech basically—elevated from 2024 to 2025. Europe represented a big quantity of the $103 billion raised globally at 56%, with US-based funds contributing 16% towards the worldwide whole. However sustainability is more and more being seen much less as a standalone resolution, and extra as a cost-cutting characteristic to be built-in as in embedded finance or as a part of a broader danger and information analytics package deal. These in search of sustainability to return to the middle stage will seemingly must see the rise of stronger regulatory mandates equivalent to these for stricter environmental monetary disclosure or different incentives. Technological innovation alone might not do it.
Quantum Computing: Ready for the Nice Leap Ahead?
Whereas there was a sole presentation on quantum computing at FinovateEurope, the dialogue of this know-how nonetheless stays restricted in most fintech boards. That is regardless of the conviction by analysts that quantum computing will make a big affect on all know-how—together with monetary know-how—within the years to return. It is usually attention-grabbing insofar as we’re seeing rising, enabling applied sciences in AI and the blockchain that proceed to shock detractors and outperform expectations relating to sensible use instances. Why not quantum computing?
First, credit score the place credit score is due: Day One in every of FinovateEurope featured Amal Nazar, Head of GTM at Wultra, a agency that gives post-quantum authentication options to monetary establishments around the globe. Nazar’s Particular Handle emphasised that it was vital for banks and different monetary establishments to transition to post-quantum cryptography so as to safe long-term digital operations. With regulators urging corporations to finish this shift by 2030, it’s clear that no matter conversations we’re not but having with regard to quantum computing will seemingly start earlier than we predict.
However not fairly but. In contrast to AI and blockchain-based applied sciences like stablecoins, quantum computing continues to be considerably “pre-commercial,” that means that whereas there may be appreciable funding curiosity, sensible industrial purposes in monetary companies have but to materialize. There are a selection of causes for this, however basically the difficulty is developmental (learn: {hardware}) relatively than software program or regulation-related within the instances of AI and stablecoins, respectively. Arguably, relating to quantum computing, this know-how because it applies to monetary companies is about the place AI and stablecoins have been seven to 10 years in the past: lengthy on hype and promise, however quick on use instances. These use instances are creating; as Nazar’s presentation suggests, cryptography is without doubt one of the main areas the place we must always anticipate quantum computing use instances rising. However in comparison with AI and stablecoins, quantum computing might expertise the “at all times a bridesmaid, by no means a bride” syndrome for a number of extra seasons, a minimum of.
“No one Right here However Us Cloud Corporations …”
Should you suspected that the inclusion of “cloud” as a theme that was underrepresented at FinovateEurope was little greater than a ruse to speak about AI, then I confess to being responsible as charged. However the comparability between the “cloud revolution” and the “AI revolution” was one I heard from Finovate delegates and on-stage consultants alike, and an attention-grabbing notion so as to add to this dialog on fintech traits.
No firm demoing declared themselves a cloud firm this 12 months. That’s as a result of, in a way, they’re all “cloud firms.” The ubiquity of cloud know-how in fintech has rendered the descriptor virtually out of date. And more and more one thing related is occurring with AI. Whereas we did undergo the compulsory interval when firms felt the necessity to append “ai” to their names, we’re nonetheless seeing a powerful urgency with which firms are looking for to leverage AI to enhance effectivity for each their very own staff in addition to for his or her prospects. Maybe not for the reason that early days of digital banking has as a lot consideration been paid and innovation dedicated to each side of the client expertise on the similar time.
What this implies, as Senior Finovate analyst Julie Muhn remarked to me within the run-up to FinovateEurope this 12 months, is that there’s much less and fewer a dialog about “AI,” and increasingly a dialog about generative AI, or explainable AI, or agentic AI, or moral AI … You get the purpose. The evolution in our manner of speaking about AI displays nothing greater than our rising understanding of the various methods AI know-how might be deployed, in addition to the myriad obligations concerned in deploying it. So whereas we gained’t cease listening to about “AI” anytime quickly, we needs to be ready for a brand new manner of speaking concerning the know-how as our relationship to it evolves.
Photograph by Anoir Chafik on Unsplash
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